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Charles Halcomb / videos / photos / blog

Jun 16

Factory Honda Road Racer and Pro MXer Steve Wise interviewposted in Motocross on Jun 16th 2010 at 10:22pm.

Steve Wise, Part Two
Following part one of the Steve Wise interview that was posted yesterday, here Steve recounts the major changes that came in his racing career in the early '80's, changes which would affect him for the rest of his life. 

THE PAVEMENT BECKONS


“I have to be honest, by 1981 I was getting burned out. I'd pretty much lost my desire to race and was starting to get sidetracked a bit. I also broke my wrist which didn't help. Bob Hannah and I had become good friends that year and we actually opened a track together, “Stormy Acres Cycle Ranch” in my home state of Texas. Man, I have to say I did get bummed out seeing how much he trained. I thought I was doing good by running three miles, only he'd go out and run ten. Fortunately, I did end the season on a high note when I won the ABC-TV Superbikers event for the second year in a row. 

“Without a doubt though, 1981 was a big turning point for me and it didn't have to do with racing. That was the year that I really had an epiphany about life and I accepted The Lord as my personal savior. That was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. By the end of the National series I came to the Trans-AMA series a totally different person. 

“At the end of 1981 I wasn't sure what I was going to do for the following season. I had been talking a little to Suzuki and Mark Blackwell had called and wanted to hire me to ride the GP circuit for Husqvarna. And then, out of nowhere, Honda called with the crazy offer – their top road race guy, Freddie Spencer was headed to Europe and they wanted me to come and join their road race team for the U.S. Series. Just like before, they flew me out to California, only this time we went to the Willow Springs road race course. I got to ride Freddie Spencer's Superbike and I practically scared myself to death! I'd brought a Bell Star helmet from my dad's shop and had these makeshift Lancer leathers, I didn't know what I was doing, but they hired me.



“The original plan was for me to race the Novice road race class all year and move to  the Pro class for 1982, but Dave Arnold lobbied the AMA to change the rules to allow an AMA Expert from one discipline switch to another and be able to retain his Expert class status. They agreed to the idea so I instead of racing the Novice class in California all year I headed straight for the Daytona 200!

“I ended up finishing seventh at Daytona and then finished second behind Eddie Lawson at Talladega. As big of a deal as it was for me to do so well as a road racer, my biggest race that year was racing the TT at the Houston Astrodome. I'd been sick as a dog before the race and qualified 35th fastest. The Honda CR480 I was riding was so pipey it just didn't work well. Luckily, Jimmy Strait was still my mechanic and he milled the head down and ran some extra head gaskets which made the bike run so much better for the main. I had a back row start and just hugged the corners and worked my way through the pack, passing everyone and jumping over the TT guy's heads on the jump. I ended up leading and was on my way to win when the back brake rod broke with three laps to go. I ended up third, but that was the most exciting third place finish I ever had. 
 
“The '82 season was really exciting because I was doing so much that was all new to me. Even though I was doing good as a road racer, I was really all over the place until Honda hired Keith Code to coach me. I have to say, he turned me into a real road racer and probably saved my life. In fact, I led the F1 series most of the year, but missed winning the title by three points to my teammate Mike Baldwin. The year ended with my getting the AMA Athlete of The Year Awardwhich was great, but I still feel it was a disservice both Brad Lackey and Bruce Penhall, both who finally earned world titles that year after years of racing in Europe.” 

THE HIGHS & LOWS
 

“Honda was really excited about my new career and we signed a two-year deal for the '83 and '84 seasons. At Daytona that year I qualified third fastest and started on the front row. Unfortunately, with 80 guys behind me, my chain adjuster broke as I shifted into third off the start and I had no power. It was a miracle that I escaped getting hit from behind.  

That year Honda probably spent close to a million dollars developing our bikes and that V-4 750 Interceptor was an incredible bike. I wound up leading the Formula One series that year until I had a major crash out of turn nine at Laguna Seca. The pain was immediate and unreal. They didn't think I was going to make it and the only thing I knew to do was call upon the Lord. 

“After that crash I decided to call it a career. I figured I had had a good run at it, but I was tired of getting hurt. Still, that winter was one of the toughest I've ever endured knowing that I wouldn't be going racing in 1984. After 26 years of racing, January was always the start of the season and racing was all I knew. My soul was vexed and it was really a traumatic time in my life. 

“Eventually I attended a bible college and started up the Steve Wise Ministries. It  wasn't a full-time job, but I wanted to take the opportunity to use my racing experiences and spiritual beliefs as a platform for helping people. In the days since I've quit racing I've raised my family and become a day trader, but I have to tell you, motocross is never too from my mind and it never will be.”

WHAT ABOUT....

His Biggest Regret: 



“Looking back, I can also say that one of my biggest regrets was not listening more to Roger DeCoster's advice. I wasn't a very good test rider and my setup just wasn't there. He tried to befriend me and help me, but I wouldn't listen. After all, I was younger and faster right? Now that I'm older I can look back and see what a mistake it was not to recognize the value of his knowledge and wisdom.”  

His Legacy: 
“I wasn't a Hannah or Ricky Johnson when it came to racing motocross. And I wasn't a Kenny Roberts or Eddie Lawson in road racing, but at the time I think I was the best overall rider. Over the years there have only been a few riders who tried to seriously compete in different types of racing. I think besides myself the list would include all-rounders like Dick Mann and Jeff  Ward. I mean look at Ward, he's even excelled racing cars as well.”  

His Toughest Competition: 



“Bob Hannah for sure. Although he never really dominated like Stewart does now, the competition was just so much deeper back then. The thing about Bob was that when he got his chance, he wasn't ever going to let it go. I think I had a lot of drive, but not like Bob's. I mean, I admit, I was spoiled. My dad was well-off and when my Penton broke we didn't worry about having to fix it, we'd just get a new bike from my dad's shop. For me, racing wasn't my only ticket, which is how Bob saw it for himself.” 

His Favorite Bike: 
No doubt the 1980 Honda with the ProLink suspension. It was the coolest works bike I'd ever seen. It was light – just a great motorcycle.”
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